Friction sub



June 24, 1930. F. J. HINDERLITER FRICTION sua Filed Oct. 19, 1927 m & w5

\ZE Fran/r J Iwda/zier Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED s'rATss I PATENTOFFICE j FRANK J. HINDEBLITER, 'OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA FRICTION SUBApplieation filed October 19, 1927. Serial No. 227,195.

The present invention 'relatesin, general to fishingapparatus for use inconnection with the drilling of wells, and more particularly to a toolwhich I term a friction sub adapted to be used in a well to keep thedrilling jar'from working when the drilling tool is being jarredloose'in the Well by means of a fishing jar. I

In the drilling of oil wells, the drilling 10 cable quite frequentlybreaks above the drilling jar associated with the drilling tool,

and it is necessary to fishthe tool from the bottom of the well. Quitefrequently this tool becomes wedged or stuck in the well and cannotsatisfactorily be removed by the standard fishing apparatus. Thedrilling jar is not of a sufiicientsi'ze to jar loose the tool and henceit is necessary to employ a larger jar termed a fishing jar.

Now heretofore the fishing jarwas connecteddirectly to the'drilling jarby means of a socket. 1 This meant that the action of the fishing jarwas to a considerable extent nullified by theaction of the drilling jar,

as which was free to be extended under the action of the former jar.Moreover, during socket were easily broken..

I propose to meet the above difliculties by providing a device adaptedto be interposed between the drilling and fishing jars to cause thedrilling jar to be held in its extended position and to prevent it fromoperating under the action of the fishing jar. That is to say, theaction of the drilling jar is nullified so as to enable the full jarringaction of this action, the slips of the combination the fishing jar tobe applied to the drilling tool wedged in the bottom of thewell. Y

- An ob ect of my invention resides in the provision of a friction tooladapted for use in a well to hold apparatus suspended therefrom inagiyen positionrelative to the well. Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a friction tool adapted to engage the innersurface of awell casing and to 7 hold the drilling jar in' an extendedposition,

whereby each time the fishing jar is caused to operate, the jarringaction of the fishing I jar will not be affected by the drilling jar. Afurther object of my invention is the provision ofafrictiondevice-adapted to be interposed between a drilling jar and afishing jarjfo'r the purpose of holding the drilling jar in its extendedposition and for the purpose of holding the drilling tool in theposition to which it is jarred a ter each operation of the fishing jar.

i In accordance with the general features of v the present invention Iprovide a friction tool for use in connection with the drilling of awell comprising a body portion having loosely mounted on its sides aplurality of diametrically opposed plates which are at all timesresiliently urged outwardly by means of springs interposed between theplates and mounted in the body'portion, the

, plates being adapted to frictionallyenga'ge ,my invention, the wellcasing; being shown insection; V a a Figure-,2 is a viewjsimilartoFigure v 1 showing the, drilling v.jar engagedby the socket of thefishing apparatus, the drilling jar being illustrated i n..its exten'ded-position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the device of my 7invention frictionally engaging theinner surface of the well casing,the-device being partly in section'jin order to illustrate the detailsof the construction thereof;

Figure 4 is an elevation of my device showing clearly the position ofone of the friction plates relative tothe device;

Figure- 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantiallyrthe line V-Vof Figure 4 looking downwardly;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view similar te Figurej5 of a modifiedform of my device;

. Figure -7 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 5 through athird form of my device;

Figure 8 isa cross-sectional view similar to igure 5 through stillanother form of my invention; f

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 illustrating theconstruction of the fishing jar, and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale ofhe combination socket.

In the drawings:

Like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

The reference character 10 designates generally a. drilling tool whichis stuck in the bottom of a well defined by a casing 11. Connected tothe top of thedrilling member 10 is a drilling jar 12 including a pairof relatively slidable members 13 and 14 which are of conventionalconstruction. Secured to the jar member 14 is a cable 15 which.

is broken, as indicated in Figure 1.

Cooperable with the jar member 14 is a combination socket 16 which isshown as being of a similar construction to that of the socket shown inmy prior patent No. 1,645,830, issued J uly 14, 1925, and includes SllPSor other gripping means 4 (Figure 10) adapted to frictionally engage theupper 18.1 member 14, as shown in Figure 2, whereby the upper jar membermay be drawn to its extended position. The wedges or slips 4 are at alltimes urged into en agement with an annular slanting surface 5 y means-pin7;

of a spring '6 held in place by a transverse all of said parts beingconnected to the socket tube 8; The slips 4 are designed to be wedgedinto engagement with the boss on the upper end of the jar member 14(Figures 2 and 10). I

Heretofore it has been the practice to connect the combination socketdirectly to the fishing ja'r,which is designated generally by thereference character 17 in Figure 1. -As pointedout-previously, this wasundesirable for the'reason that the drilling jar was free to operate andhence the action of the fishing jar was more or less frustrated.

In accordance with the features-of my invention, I have eliminated thisobjectionable feature by interposing a friction" which I term a subcombination, designated generally. by'the reference character 18,between the fishing jar 17 and the combination socket 16.

Thisdevice 18 comprises a rod member 19 having a'threaded socket 20 atits upper 1 end and a threaded portion 21 at its lower end. The threadedportion 21*is adapted to be screwed into a-threadedopening 22;- (Figure,--3)-jin the upper end of the combi-f nation socket 16.. The threadedsocket or '06 opening22 is adapted to receive a threaded 'for the nextoperation, namely the device 1 .throu gh Anintermediate portion of therod 19 has formed in it a pair of diametrically opposed vertical slotsor grooves 24-24 adapted to receive friction plates 2525.I Formedintegral with each end of each of the plates 25 is "a lateral extension26 which extends into an opening 27 in the enlarged intermediate portionof the rod 19. This lateral extension 26 has an elongated slot 28 intowhich extends a pin 29 secured to the-rod 19. This arrangement .is suchthat each plate is permitted to have a limited degree of lateralmovement relative to the rod.

Positioned between the friction plates 25 are three openings 30, in eachof which is disposed a spring 31, the ends of which abut the two plates2525. These three springs function to at all times urge the platesoutwardly and away. from each .other. In other words, when the device 18is in the well casing, "the plates will be ur edinto tight frictionalengagement with t e inner surface of the well casin 11. Attention isdirected to the fact that t e outer surface of each of these plates ispreferably formed curved, as indicated at 32, so as to enable the platesto readily adjust themselves and to better grip the inner surface of thewell casing.

The opera ion of my novel construction is briefly as follows: Thecombination socket 16, the friction sub 18 and the fishing jar 17 areinitially connected together, whereby they may be lowered into the wellas a unit. This unit is forced downwardly into the well until the socket'16 engages and grips the upper jar member 14 of the drilling jar 12.Thereafter the unit is drawn upwardly in the well casing 11, whereby thejar member 14 is moved to its extended osition "shown in Figure 2. Whenthe unit isin the position shown in Figure 2, it is ready operation ofthe'fishing jar 17. Obviously, the-frictional plates 25 of my novelfriction sub 18 will engage the inner surface ofthe casing 18 and willserve to hold the jar member 14 in the aforesaid extended position.

Thereafter power is applied to the fishing jar 17 whereby it is setintomotion to jar loose the drilling tool 10 whichhas become stuck orimbedded in the bottom of the well. It 'will, of course, be apparent tothose skilled in the present an that a fishing 'ar is of a considerablygreater size than thatof the drilling jar 12. Hence,'it is, desirablethat the fishing jar be operated without any interference on' the partof the drillin jar. V

the sub combination which by holding the 13.1 member 14 in its extendedposi- This feature is accomplished I tion prevents the operation of'thisdrilling Now in order to work the drilling tool loose from the bottom ofthe well, it is necessary that a jarring action be applied to it, ratherthan a pulling action. The action of the drilling jar 12 is not greatenough usually to work loose this tool. Moreover,

it is not feasible to apply a very great force tothe drilling jar due tothe fact that if too great a force is applied thereto, it will result inthe breakage of the combination socket 16. Hence, it is essential thatmeans be supplied for applying a relatively great jarring action to thetool. This means takes the form of the previously described fishing jar17. Due to the position of the friction sub'l8'relative to the socket 16and the fishing jar 17, it will necessarily follow that this socket willnot be subjected to as great a pulling strain as formerly, and hence itslongevity'is greatly augmented. The 'sub- 18, however, is of such aconstruction that it permits of'the jarring action of the jar 17 beingapplied, without interference on the part of the drillingjar, directlyto the tool 10. Then, too, it is to be noted that if the tool 10 isworked loose a slight degree, whereby it is possible to draw it upwardlya short distance, the friction sub 18 will hold it in the position towhich it is pulled so that it will not gravitate back into its formerposition. In other words, as the tool is progressively worked upwardlyin the casing 11, the friction sub 18 functions to hold itin its variousprogressive positions, thus expediting and facilitating the fishingoperation.

In Figure 6 I have-illustrated one modification of my invention, whereineach friction plate 25 is provided with an independent set of springs 31disposed in independent holes 30. That is to say, the device will bep'rovided -with six springs 31? instead of thethree shown in Figure3,fthere being three "springs for each friction plate. The, holes 30for-accommodatingeach. set of three springs 31.- are independent of the.holes for accommodati-ng the other .set of p s'eia. a:

f Fi ure-7 "I -have";illustraterla' second modification of theinvention; whereinvthe intermediate Portion of :the rod 19 of thefriction'sub' lS-PI'OVided'iWlth four friction plates 2 5 ig-disposed-909; apart. .One:. set' of p1ates -'25P ,'are disposed diametricallyoppo-, site eachother; andc'are urged' outwardly by;

J springsBl disposedv-inslots 30 vfThe other' set offplates 25". are.disposed diametrically opposite each; other; and Lat rightjangles totheYfiFSt, set of plates; This latter ,setvof plates 25"-= are, urgedoutwardly by i springs 31 disposed. in; openings .302 I The springs 31are staggered relative" to the springs 31" as is evident (from Figure7.This form of any given place in the well hole. Moreover,

this sub always acts as a guide to keep the wire line cutting outfit,which is usually run on a wire sand line, from wrapping around thedrilling cable that is being cut. Obviously if the cutting outfit isallowed to wrap around the drilling cable which is to t be cut, it isnotpossible to get the jar to operate, thus resulting in the loss of V thestroke of the jar.

The intermediate portionrof the rod 19 is provided-i with fourfrictional plates 25 arranged 95 apart. Each of these plates is urgedoutwardly by a plurality of springs 1 31 disposed in slots 30. Attentionis di-E poI-- tion of the rod '19 is provided with four out rected tothe fact that the intermediate out portions 40. Each of these cut outportions 40 is disposed intermediate a pair of adjacent plates 25 and isadapted to accommodate the drilling line which is to be cut, when thisfriction sub is in use in connection with a wire line outfit.

Since the operation of each of the three modified forms of friction subshown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 is substantially like that of the preferredform, it is thought that no further description of these modificationsof the invention need be given.

Now I desire it understood that although I have illustrated anddescribed in detail the preferred forms of my invention, 'the in:

vention is not to be thus limited,. but only in so far as defined by thescope and spirit of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention: p 1. In comb'nation, a. jar adapt partofftliewell adagjtedjto frictionally em-1 i q .i 'ni r 3 ce of" h? 1 ift 6"casing','and work performin mechanism as -sociated' wi'th the loweren ofssideevice ran ed? tbifb act up c y; said J through said device, 'sa iddevice serving to holdup said'lnechanism in the well casing ri ig'thfd wo r i m' r e c t ja loweredinto a well easing, a frictional de'vicefdi'sposedbetween the'jar and the ower p r f thiefwe a apt errieism ly ra h f4 n lirfiq ie fl l lw l bfi't e' casing, and workperforming n echanismas:

of said device sociated with the 1ower en combination, a jar adapted tobe 2 i d to be lowered into a "well casing, a frictional de vicedisposed between the jar and the lowerll .arranged to be acted upon. bysaid jar through said device, said device serving to hold up saidmechanism in the well casing during the down or return stroke of the jarand including a plurality of outwardly urged plates designed to embracethe well casing.

3. In combination, a jar adapted to be lowered into a well casing, africtional device disposed between the jar and the lower part of thewell to frictionally embrace the inner surface of the wall of thecasing, and work performing mechanism associatedwith the lower end ofsaid device arranged to be acted upon by said jar through said device,said device being adapted to hold said mechanism in a given positionrelative to the well casing and including a plurality of platesoutwardly urged by resilient means into cooperation with the innersurface of the casing, each of said plates being'shaped to conform withsaid inner surface of the casing.

4. In combination, a jar adapted to be lowered into a well casing, africtional device disposed between the jar and the-lower part of thewell to frictionally embrace the inner surface of the wall of thecasing, and

a work performin mechanism associated with the lower end 0 said devicearranged to be acted upon b said jar through said device, said deviceiolding said mechanism in a given osition relative to the well casingand including friction plates urged outwardly at all times in differentdirections, each of said plates being capable of a limited degree oflateral movement to tightly embrace the inner surface of the wellcasing.

5. In combination, a jar adapted to be lowered into a well casing, africtional device disposed between the jar and the lower part of thewell to frictionall embrace the inner surface of the wall of t e'casing,and work performin mechanism associated with the lower end 0 said devicearranged to be acted upon by said jar through said device, said deviceserving to hold said mechanism in a given position relative to the wellcasmg and mcluding a rod having an inter- I said device holdin mediateportion provided with a plurality of laterally movable. friction platesand a J plurality of springs mounted in said inter.- mediate portion tourge said plates outward- 1y into cooperation with the inner surface ofthe well casing.

6. In combination, a ar adapted to be I lowered into a well casing, africtional devlce disposed between the jar andthe lower part of the wellto frictionall embrace the inner surface of, the wall of t e casing, and

work performin mechanism associated with the lower end 0 said devicearranged to be acted upon by said jar through said device, said-mechanism in a given position relat1ve to the well casing and in thewell during n n 7 work performing mechanism associated with I the lowerend of said device arranged to be acted upon b' said jar through saiddevice, said device holding said mechanism in a given position relativeto the well casing and including a body member having an intermediateportion thereof provided with slots for accommodating friction platesand springs disposed between said plates mounted in said intermediateportion for urging said plates outwardly, each of said plates includinglateral extensions slidably mounted in said intermediate portion of thebody.

8. In combination, in a fishing tool adapted to remove a drilling jarand tool from a well casing comprising a fishing jar, a device suspendedfrom thefishing jar to embrace the inner surface of the well casing,

and a socket suspended from said device to grip the upper member of saiddrilling jar, whereby said upper member may be pulled to its extendedposition, being designated to hold said'member in its extended positionso that the fishing jar may be 0 erated without interference on the partof t e drilling jar.

9. The method of removing a drilling jar and tool from the bottom 0 awell, which consists in moving the upper jar member to its extendedposition, frictionally anchoring said upper jar member to the wellcasing, and applying the force of the fishing ar to said dril ing jarmember in its extended position.

- 10. The method of removing a drilling ar and tool from a well, whichconsists in pulling the drilling iaiflto its extended osition, holdingsaid dril ing jar in its exten ed position by anchoring it to the wellcasing, and applying a 'arring action to sald drilling 'ar while it ISin its extended position.

11. The method of removing a drillin jar and tool which consists incausing the drilling ar to be put in its extended osition, ho ding saidjar in its extended position to render it ineffective as a jarringmedium, and applying a jar action to the upper end of said jar while itis in its extended position to loosen said tool in the well.

12. The method of removing a tool from a'well, which consists ingripping the tool,

appllying the action of a jar to the tool to. pu

and holding said tool up it upwardly,

the return stroke of the said friction device from the bottom of a wel,

jar by frictionally anchoring the tool to the well casing so that thetool is prevented from gravitating in the well 0aSiIl%.

In testimony whereof I ave hereunto subscribed m name at Tulsa,Oklahoma,

county of sa.

FRANK J. HI'NDERLITER.

